梵網經菩薩戒本疏 2.24

2.24

Ninth, regarding antidotal practices, ten kinds of practices are briefly distinguished and reflected upon: 1. When a bodhisattva upholds the precepts of restraining conduct, even in dreams they do not conceive the thought of taking a blade of grass or a leaf without it being given, how much less the actual deed. 2. When upholding the precepts collecting good qualities, even their body and life are given up to all sentient beings thought after thought, how much less could there be theft. 3. When upholding the precepts collecting sentient beings, through compassion and skilful means they constantly contemplate benefiting them, so how could there ever be acts of damaging and stealing? 4. Practicing few desires: that is, seeing countless hundreds of thousands of another's wealth and goods without any covetous thought in mind, how much less committing acts of theft. 5. Practicing contentment: that is, though the body may be poor and destitute, the mind is ever self-content, never seeking anything else. The sūtra says: A contented person, though lying on the ground, still feels peaceful and happy. 6. Practicing non-greed: that is, even if they themselves have hundreds of thousands in wealth and goods, it is all for sentient beings, without a single thought directed toward themselves. 7. Practicing immediate relinquishment: that is, for the sake of a single sentient being, in a single thought immediately giving up the wealth, jewels, body, and life of worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges; thought after thought like this, exhausting all future kalpas, the mind still feels unsatisfied. As for one sentient being, so it is for all. 8. Practicing joy: that is, if seeing sentient beings forever free from poverty and suffering, possessing hundreds of thousands in wealth, their joy is boundless, surpassing the attainment of heavenly bliss. 9. Practicing deep compassion: that is, seeing impoverished and suffering sentient beings, their compassion pierces their inner heart and their tears flow without stopping. 10. Practicing superior action: that is, even if bestowing the wealth and bliss of humans and devas and the nirvāṇa of the two vehicles upon sentient beings, they do not consider it sufficient; they must cause them to attain unsurpassable bodhi before it is deemed ultimate. When intending to cultivate practices such as these, how could there possibly be acts such as stealing and robbing?